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1985–After Paul McCartney advises Michael Jackson to invest in a music catalog, Northern Songs (owner of the Lennon-McCartney song catalog) is sold to Jackson for $47.5 million. The sale will be finalized on September 6th. The only Lennon-McCartney songs not included are Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You, Please Please Me, and Ask Me Why.


258–Spanish-Italian deacon and Saint, Lawrence of Rome, dies as a martyr in Rome, at age 32.

941–Vietnamese Emperor, Le Hoan, is born Sau La Vua LeDaiHanh in Bao Thai.

955–In the Battle of Lechfeld, Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, defeats the Magyars, ending 50 years of Magyar invasion of the West.

991–The English, led by Byrhtnoth, Ealdorman of Essex, are defeated by a band of inland-raiding Vikings near Maldon, Essex.

1250–Eric IV of Denmark dies on the bay of the Schlein, near Gottorf Castle, at age 33. He was murdered and beheaded and his body was dumped into the Schlien. The next morning two fishermen dragged the king's headless body up in their net.

1267–James II of Aragon is born Jaime el Justo in Valencia, Spain. He was the second son of Peter III of Aragon and Constance of Sicily.

1270–Yekuno Amlak takes the imperial throne of Ethiopia, restoring the Solomonic dynasty to power after a 100-year Zagwe interregnum.

1296–John of Bohemia is born in Luxembourg, Holy Roman Empire.

1270–Yekuno Amlak takes the imperial throne of Ethiopia, restoring the Solomonic Dynasty to power after a 100-year Zagwe interregnum.

1397–Albert II of Germany is born in Vienna, Austria.

1480–René of Anjou, King of Naples, dies in Aix-en-Provence, France, at age 71.

1512–The naval Battle of Saint-Mathieu, during the War of the League of Cambrai, sees the simultaneous destruction of the Breton ship La Cordelière and the English ship The Regent.

1519–Ferdinand Magellan's five ships set sail from Seville to circumnavigate the globe. The Basque second-in-command, Juan Sebastián Elcano, will complete the expedition after Magellan's death in the Philippines.

1520–Madeleine of Valois is born in St. Germain-en-Laye, Paris, Kingdom of France. She was a French princess who became Queen of Scots as the first spouse of King James V.

1535–Florence ruler, Ippolito de' Medici, dies of malaria in southern Lazioin Itri, Kingdom of Naples, at age 24.

1560–Organist and composer, Hieronymus Praetorius, is born in Hamburg, Germany. He wrote masses, 10 settings of the Magnificat, and numerous motets, mostly in Latin. Most of his music is in the Venetian polychoral style, which uses numerous voices divided into several groups.

1628–The Swedish warship, Vasa, sinks in the Stockholm harbour after only 20 minutes of her maiden voyage.

1675–The foundation stone of the Royal Greenwich Observatory is laid in London, England.

1680–The Pueblo Revolt begins in New Mexico. This is an uprising of most of the Pueblo Indians against the Spanish colonizers in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México (present-day New Mexico). The Pueblo Revolt killed 400 Spanish people and drove the remaining 2,000 settlers out of the province. Twelve years later, the Spanish returned and were able to reoccupy New Mexico with little opposition.

1755–Under the orders of Charles Lawrence, the British Army begins to forcibly deport the Acadians from Nova Scotia to the Thirteen Colonies.

1759–Ferdinand VI of Spain dies of a broken heart after the loss of his wife, Barbara of Portugal, in Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain, at age 45. He fell into a state of prostration in which he would not even dress, but wandered unshaven, unwashed, and in a nightgown about his park. The memoirs of the count of Fernán Núñez give a shocking picture of his deathbed.

1776–Word of the United States Declaration of Independence reaches London, England.

1782–Politician, Vicente Guerrero, is born Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña in Tixtla, Guerrero, New Spain. He was the second President of Mexico. Guerrero was one of the leading revolutionary generals of the Mexican War of Independence. He fought against Spain for independence in the early 19th century.

1792–Revolutionary forces sack the Palace of the Tuileries in Paris, France, slaughtering the King's guard and taking King Louis XVI prisoner, thus bringing the French monarchy to an end.

1793–The Musée du Louvre (art museum) opens in Paris, France. The original collection included 537 paintings and 184 objects of art, the majority of which were obtained from collections of the royalty, with the rest being confiscated from immigrants and Church property. Today, the permanent collection of the Musée du Louvre contains more than 380,000 pieces, and displays 35,000 works of art in its more than 652,000 square feet structure.

1809–Quito, now the capital of Ecuador, declares independence from Spain.

1810–Politician, Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, is born Camillo Paolo Filippo Giulio Benso in Turin, French Empire. He was the first Prime Minister of Italy.

1813–Instituto Nacional, is founded by the Chilean patriot, José Miguel Carrera. It is Chile's oldest and most prestigious school. Its motto is Labor Omnia Vincit, which means "Work conquers all things."

1817–Francis Cabot Lowell dies in Boston, Massachusetts, at age 42. He founded the first raw cotton-to-cloth textile mill. He was instrumental in bringing the Industrial Revolution to the United States.

1821–Missouri becomes the 24th state in the United States of America.

1846–The Smithsonian Institution is established by the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C., as a scientific research center with $500,000 left in a bequest of British scientist, James Smithson.

1864–After Uruguay's governing Blanco Party refuses Brazil's demands, José Antônio Saraiva announces that the Brazilian military will begin reprisals, beginning the Uruguayan War.

1869–The motion picture projector is patented by O.B. Brown.

1874–Herbert (Clark) Hoover, the 31st President of the United States, is born in West Branch, Iowa.

1887–Film executive, Sam Warner, is born Schmuel Wonsal in Krasnosielc, Congress Poland, Russian Empire. He was the co-founder and CEO of Warner Bros. Studios. He established the studio, along with his brothers Harry, Albert, and Jack L. Warner. Sam Warner is credited with procuring the technology that enabled Warner Bros. to produce the film industry's first feature-length talking picture The Jazz Singer.

1888–Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark is born in Pavlovsk, Russian Empire. He was the youngest son and last child of King George I of Greece.

1889–Game designer, Charles (Brace) Darrow, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He created the board game Monopoly. He became the first millionaire game-designer in history. While Darrow eventually sold his version of Monopoly to Parker Brothers, claiming it to be his own invention, modern historians credit Darrow as just one of the game's final developers.

1894–Varahagiri Venkata Giri, fourth President of India, is born in Berhampur, Madras Presidency, British India (present-day Odisha, India).

1896–Film director, Walter Lang, is born in Memphis, Tennessee. His films include The Blue Bird, Moon Over Miami, State Fair, Mother Wore Tights, Cheaper by the Dozen, Call Me Madam, There’s No Business Like Show Business, The King and I, Desk Set, and Can-Can.

1897–Actor, Jack Haley, is born John Joseph Haley in Boston, Massachusetts. He is best known for the role of the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz. He appeared in the films Poor Little Rich Girl, Pigskin Parade, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Scared Stiff, and New York, New York. His son is film producer, Jack Haley, Jr.

1901–The U.S. Steel Recognition Strike by the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers begins.

1902–Actress, (Edith) Norma Shearer, is born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Her early films cast her as the girl-next-door, but for most of the Pre-Code film era (beginning with the 1930 film The Divorcee) she played sexually liberated women in sophisticated contemporary comedies. She was married to film mogel, Irving Thalberg.

1904–In the Russo-Japanese War, the Battle of the Yellow Sea takes place between the Russian and Japanese battleship fleets.

1905–During the Russo-Japanese War, peace negotiations begin in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

1909–Leo Fender, inventor of the electric guitar, is born Clarence Leonidas Fender in Anaheim, California. He founded the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company. In January 1965, he sold the company to CBS. The guitars, bass guitars, and amplifiers he designed from the 1940s on are still popular. They include the Fender Telecaster, the Fender Stratocaster, the Fender Precision Bass, and the Fender Bassman amplifier.

1909–Mohammed V, King of Morocco (1957-1961), is born Sidi Mohammed ben Yusef in Fes, Morocco.

1913–Delegates from Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece sign the Treaty of Bucharest, ending the Second Balkan War.

1913–Actor, Noah Beery, Jr., is born Noah Lindsey Beery in New York, New York. He is best known for the role of Joseph "Rocky" Rockford in the TV series The Rockford Files. He was cast in dozens of other TV shows, including Circus Boy, Rawhide, The Real McCoys, Wagon Train, Route 66, Bonanza, Police Story, Vega$, and Fantasy Island. He appeared in the films Only Angels Have Wings, Of Mice and Men, 20 Mule Team, Sergeant York, Follow the Boys, Red River, Rocketship X-M, The Story of Will Rogers, The Cimarron Kid, Jubal, Inherit the Wind, Walking Tall, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. His father was actor, Noah Beery, Sr., and his uncle was actor, Wallace Beery.

1920–During World War I, Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI's representatives sign the Treaty of Sèvres that divides up the Ottoman Empire between the Allies.

1923–Actress, Rhonda Fleming, is born Marilyn Louis in Hollywood, California. She appeared in the films Since You Went Away, Spellbound, The Spiral Staircase, Abilene Town, Out of the Past, A Connecticut Yankee in King Authur’s Court, The Redhead and the Cowboy, Little Egypt, Crosswinds, While the City Sleeps, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, The Buster Keaton Story, The Big Circus, The Crowded Sky, and The Pasty.

1924–Actress, Martha Hyer, is born in Fort Worth, Texas. She appeared in the films Yukon Gold, Riders to the Stars, Sabrina, Lucky Me, Francis in the Navy, The Delicate Delinquent, Mister Cory, My Man Godfrey, Battle Hymn, Houseboat, Some Came Running, The Best of Everything, Bikini Beach, The Carpetbaggers, The Sons of Katie Elder, and The Happening. She was married to film producer, Hal B. Wallis.

1928–Singer and businessman, Jimmy (Ray) Dean, is born in Plainview, Texas. He is best known for his 1961 country crossover hit, Big Bad John, and his ABC-TV series The Jimmy Dean Show. He founded the Jimmy Dean Sausage Company with his brother, Don Dean.

1928–Singer and actor, Eddie Fisher, is born Edwin Jack Tisch in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A pre-rock and roll vocalist, Fisher's strong and melodious tenor made him a teen idol and one of the most popular singers of the early 1950s. He had 17 songs in the “Top 10” between 1950 and 1956, and 35 in the “Top 40.” His hits include Any Time, Wish You Were Here, Oh! My Pa-Pa, Count Your Blessings, and On the Street Where You Live. He appeared in the films Bundle of Joy and BUtterfield 8. He was married to actresses, Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, and Connie Stevens. His daughters are actresses, Carrie Fisher and Joely Fisher.

1931–Actor, Tom Laughlin, is born Thomas Robert Laughlin in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is best known for writing, directing, producing, and starring in the four Billy Jack films. The character of Billy Jack first appeared in 1967's The Born Losers.

1932–An 11-pound chondrite-type meteorite breaks into at least seven pieces and lands near the town of Archie in Cass County, Missouri.

1932–Acting dog, Rin Tin Tin, dies at age 13. He was a male German Shepherd that was an international star in motion pictures. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier, Lee Duncan, who nicknamed him "Rinty." Duncan trained Rin Tin Tin and obtained silent film work for the dog. Rin Tin Tin was an immediate box-office success and went on to appear in 27 Hollywood films, gaining worldwide fame. Rin Tin Tin was responsible for greatly increasing the popularity of German Shepherd dogs as family pets.

1940–Bobby Hatfield, of The Righteous Brothers, is born Robert Lee Hatfield in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The duo’s hits include Little Latin Lupe Lu, You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', Unchained Melody, Ebb Tide, and (You're My) Soul and Inspiration.

1942–Fashion designer, Betsey Johnson, is born in Wethersfield, Connecticut. She is best known for her over-the-top whimsical womens' wear. Her designs are recognizable for their femininity and use of embellishment. Johnson's fashion shows often end with her signature cartwheel on the catwalk.

1944–American forces defeat the last Japanese troops on Guam.

1945–Singer, Ronnie Spector, is born Veronica Bennett in New York, New York. She formed “The Darling Sisters” with her sister and cousin. The girls began singing backup for record producer, Phil Spector, who later produced the group as The Ronettes. She was married to Phil Spector from 1965 to 1974.

1947–Ian (Scott) Anderson, of Jethro Tull, is born in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland.

1948–Candid Camera makes its television debut after being on radio for a year as Candid Microphone.

1949–President Harry S. Truman signs the National Security Act Amendment, streamlining the defense agencies of the U.S. government, and replacing the Department of War with the U.S. Department of Defense.

1950–Singer, Patti Austin, is born in Harlem, New York.

1953–In the First Indochina War, the French Union withdraws its forces from Operation Camargue against the Viet Minh in central Vietnam.

1954–The ground-breaking ceremony for the Saint Lawrence Seaway is held in Massena, New York.

1959–Actress, Rosanna (Lisa) Arquette, is born in New York, New York. She appeared in the films More American Garffitti, S.O.B., Baby It’s You, The Aviator, Desperately Seeking Susan, Silverado, After Hours, 8 Million Ways to Die, Nobody’s Fool, New York Stories, Pulp Fiction, Crash, and Hope Floats. Her sister is actress, Patricia Arquette. Her grandfather was comedian, Cliff Arquette.

1960–Actor, Antonio Banderas, is born José Antonio Domínguez in Málaga, Spain. He appeared in the films The Mambo Kings, Benito, The House of the Spirits, Philadelphia, Interview with the Vampire, Desperado, Never Talk to Strangers, Evita, Frida, and The Big Bang. He was married to actress, Melanie Griffith.

1961–England applies for membership in the European Common Market.

1961–The U.S. Army uses Agent Orange for the first time in the Vietnam War.

1961–Jon Farriss, drummer for INXS, is born Jonathan James Farriss in Perth, Western Australia.

1968–Michael (Lamont) Bivins, of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe, is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

1969–A day after murdering Sharon Tate and four others, members of Charles Manson's cult kill Leno and Rosemary LaBianca.

1970–Elvis Presley begins a 58-show stand at the Las Vegas Hilton International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1970–The State of Florida vs. James Douglas Morrison officially begins at the Metropolitan County Justice Building, Miami, Florida. Case #69-2355, the trial stems from charges filed after The Doors' Dinner Key Auditorium performance. Morrison is slated to appear in Division D of the County Justice Center, and is represented by attorneys Max Fink and Robert Josephsberg. Due to an over-capacity of the docket the trial start is delayed until Wednesday, August 12th.

1971–The Society for American Baseball Research is founded in Cooperstown, New York.

1971–Actor, Justin (Paul) Theroux, is born in Washington D.C. he appeared in the films I Shot Andy Warhol, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, American Psycho, Mulholland Drive, Zoolander, Duplex, Iron Man 2, and Rock of Ages. His uncle is novelist, Paul Theroux. He was married to actress, Jennifer Aniston.

1972–Actress-model, Angie Harmon, is born Angela Michelle Harmon in Highland Park, Texas. Harmon began modeling while still in high school, winning a Seventeen magazine modeling contest. She worked as a runway model for Calvin Klein, Giorgio Armani, and Donna Karan, and as a cover model for ELLE, Cosmopolitan, and Esquire. She is best known for her roles on Baywatch, Baywatch Nights, and Law & Order.

1977–Postal employee, David Berkowitz ("Son of Sam"), is arrested in Yonkers, New York, for a series of killings in the New York City area over the period of one year.

1980–Politician, Yahya Khan, dies of alcoholism in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan, at age 63. He was the third President of Pakistan.

1983–For the first time, sales of music on cassettes surpass those on vinyl.

1985–After Paul McCartney advises Michael Jackson to invest in a music catalog, Northern Songs (owner of the Lennon-McCartney song catalog) is sold to Jackson for $47.5 million. The sale will be finalized on September 6th. The only Lennon-McCartney songs not included are Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You, Please Please Me, and Ask Me Why.

1988–President Ronald Reagan signs the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, providing $20,000 payments to Japanese-Americans who were either interned in or relocated by the United States during World War II.

1990–The Magellan space probe reaches Venus.

1990–More than 127 Muslims are killed in North East Sri Lanka by paramilitary troops.

1993–Musician, Varg Vikernes, murders fellow band member, Euronymous (Oystein Aarseth), by stabbing him repeatedly in his apartment in Oslo, Norway. Euronymous was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band, Mayhem. He was also founder and owner of the extreme metal record label, Deathlike Silence Productions, and the record shop, Helvete.

1993–A 7.0 earthquake hits the South Island of New Zealand.

1995–Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols are indicted for the Oklahoma City bombing. Michael Fortier pleads guilty in a plea-bargain for his testimony.

1997–TV personality and model, Kylie (Kristen) Jenner, is born in Los Angeles, California. She is best known for appearing on the E! reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Her father is Olympic athlete, Bruce Jenner. Her half-sister is Kim Kardashian.

2000–The recording industry asks the U.S. Congress to repeal the “work for hire” amendment. The law prevents artists from ever owning their masters.

2003–The highest temperature (101.3°F) is recorded in the United Kingdom, in Kent, England. It is the first time the U.K. has recorded a temperature over 100°F.

2003–Yuri Malenchenko becomes the first person to marry in outer space.

2003–The Okinawa Monorail opens in Naha, Okinawa.

2008–R&B singer, Isaac Hayes, dies after suffering a series of strokes in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 65. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label, Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a session musician and record producer. His hits include Theme from Shaft and Let’s Stay Together.

2010–Film producer, David L. Wolper, dies of congestive heart failure in Beverly Hills, California, at age 82. Among his productions are The Thin Blue Line, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau, Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, Roots, The Thorn Birds, This Is Elvis, and Imagine: John Lennon.

2012–The Marikana massacre begins near Rustenburg, South Africa, killing 47 people.

2013–Singer, Eydie Gormé, dies following a brief undisclosed illness in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 84. Her husband, Steve Lawrence, was at her bedside. Her biggest hit was Blame It on the Bossa Nova.

2013–Writer, Amy Wallace, dies of a heart condition in Los Angeles, California, at age 58. Her #1 bestseller was The Book of Lists. Wallace had a relationship with Carlos Castaneda, which she wrote about in her memoir, Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda, published in 2003. Her father was writer, Irving Wallace.

2014–Thirty-nine people are killed in a plane crash at the Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, Iran.

2015–Actress, Melissa Gilbert, announces her candidacy for the State House of Representatives in the 8th District of Lansing, Michigan.

2015–By 2100, demographers and statisticians at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs expect the world's population to top 11.2 billion.

2015–Filmed Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Columbia House, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is seeking to sell off the last vestiges of what was once a billion-dollar business. The Columbia House music club combined with formal rival BMG Direct in 2005. In its glory days, Columbia House sold millions of records to teenagers by offering “13 records or tapes for $1” type promotions: the catch was you had to join the “club” and pay top retail prices and inflated shipping charges for any later “fulfillment” purchases.

2016–Singer, Ed Sheeran, is sued by the family of Ed Townsend (co-writer of Marvin Gaye's song Let's Get It On) who have accused him of stealing the melody, harmony, and rhythm composition of the late soul singer’s 1973 hit.

2016–Four-hundred-year-old petroglyphs are discovered off the Waianae coast of Hawaii.


PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: James II of Aragon; Hieronymus Praetorius; Vicente Guerrero; Instituto Nacional emblem; the board game, Monopoly; a Fender guitar; Martha Hyer; Rin Tin Tin; an ad for Candid Microphone; INXS; Angie Harmon; the Magellan space probe; the Okinawa Monorail; and an ad for Columbia House.
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